10 Steps to the Perfect B2B Email Subject Line
Office workers receive hundreds of emails daily. The email subject line is one of the most stressful details about email marketing or sending any professional email. Time is consistently wasted in agonizing over the perfect words to fit the limited space, but understandably so. Every email subject line competes against the others, so standing out from the masses is imperative.
Regarding email marketing, the email subject line is always mentioned as a critical part of the overall campaign. This is the first thing your audience sees in their inbox. Check out this previous blog that discusses creating a better email campaign, and notice it also says email subject lines.
So many elements go into writing an email subject line, which can feel like an extremely long list of does’s and don'ts, which is overwhelming. Remember that email marketing aims to have your email opened and consumed by the receiver. So if the subject line succeeds in doing that, then it is a job well done. That is the perfect email subject line.
There are ten steps involved in crafting an email subject line. These steps can be taken in any order, but they are listed below in an order that may make the most sense if you are mainly stuck in your decision-making.
10 Steps to the Perfect b2b Subject Line
1. Review the Email Sender
One of the key aspects of writing a perfect B2B email subject line is reviewing the email sender. This is because the sender's name and email address are the first things recipients see when they receive an email. Best practices in B2B email marketing suggest that the sender's name should be recognizable and credible to increase the chances of the recipient opening the email. Using a sender that is not easily recognizable may cause the email to go unopened or even be marked as spam, decreasing the email campaign's open rate.
Therefore, when creating B2B emails, it is crucial to review the email sender to ensure that it is recognizable and trustworthy. This can be achieved using the sender's name and email address already associated with the business or using a recognizable alias. Doing so makes the email more likely to be opened and read, increasing the email campaign's effectiveness.
This may not appear as relevant to the email subject line, but it is a great place to start when imagining what your reader will see first. The reader will see who sent it and the subject line when they receive the email in their inbox or when the notification pops up on any device. So before you personalize the email subject line (which is discussed in a later step), consider personalizing the email sender.
If it is from an automated response or “no-reply” sender, people are likelier to ignore it, and the subject line may have less power altogether. You do not want your email to end up viewed as spam because of the email sender. Use a familiar name, if possible. If you have ever interacted with anyone on your email list, and they see your name instead of the entire company, the chance of the email being opened is increased. Having a human name attached to the address can go a long way. Sending from an individual feels more personal.
2. Use Any Previous Data Available and Testing Options
Data is part of the service plan if you use an email marketing service like Mailchimp, Constant Contact, Hubspot, etc. Learn if the data collection includes any data on subject lines specifically. It may become apparent which email subject lines do better or which did not earn as many opens. Your email marketing service may also assist in crafting the subject line, so use that tool to your advantage.
Additionally, these services may offer ways to test subject email lines. It can be beneficial to test the email subject lines before you send them to gain feedback and tweak it if you need to.
Do not underestimate the usefulness of data and testing options regarding email subject lines. This data previously collected can add valuable insight into your future subject lines. As this task is challenging, you want all the help you can get.
3. Establish the Urgency
The urgency of the content can help guide you in your word choice for the subject line. As you work to find the right words, you should ask how urgent it is for the receiver to open and read this email. Is this time-sensitive that must be opened within the next couple of days? Action words are discussed later, but if you have a clear idea of the urgency of the content inside the email campaign, your following decisions will be easier.
Although you should use the urgency level to fuel the development of the email subject line, be wary of how often you use urgent language. Use it sparingly for it to continue to affect the receiver. You do not want people to be completely immune to the subject line.
4. Determine the Relevance & Timeliness
Similar to determining the urgency of the content, the relevance and timeliness of your content help craft your email subject line. While it is wise to have your email campaigns consistently relevant and timely, the content inside each email can vary, and your email subject line needs to reflect those details. Pique your readers’ interest with trendy subject lines. You do not want to send them something that feels out of touch, but instead is something that applies to the world.
5. Decide How it can be Personalized
As mentioned previously about the sending address, the personal touches can go a long way. People are more inclined to engage with something sent to them if it feels like it genuinely was sent just to them. You want them to feel special and unique, and that can start with an email subject line.
If your email list is segmented for different audiences, this can help ensure you craft your email subject line perfectly for the right audience. The more you can cater to the individual, the better. Your content in the email may vary, so think about what aspect of the email the reader will be interested in the most.
6. Keep it Short & Sweet
In B2B email marketing, keeping the subject line short and sweet is crucial for grabbing the recipient's attention and encouraging them to open the email. The subject line should be concise, clear, and relevant to the content of the email. This not only helps to increase the open rate of the email but also ensures that the recipient understands the purpose of the email before opening it. Best practices recommend keeping the subject line under 50 characters to make it easily readable and scannable for the recipient.
7. Be Clear About What is Inside
One of the most important aspects of crafting a successful email subject line for B2B marketers is making it clear and concise. Instead of a vague subject line, you want to let your reader know you have delivered. For example, if a person had signed up to receive an exclusive coupon, your subject line should let them know that the coupon they expect is in that email. They want this content, and you want them to open the email, so this works in both of your favor.
The subject line should communicate the purpose and value of the email to the recipient while also grabbing their attention and encouraging them to open the email. A clear subject line can help improve open email rates, which is crucial in B2B email marketing.
Remembering that the subject line is often the first thing the email recipient sees, it must be targeted toward the intended audience. Understanding the target audience and their needs is key to creating a subject line that will resonate with them.
Additionally, language that avoids triggering spam filters is important to ensure the email reaches potential customers. Overall, a clear and targeted subject line can be a powerful tool in B2B email marketing to help improve open rates and drive more conversions.
Lastly, do not forget that email marketing is all about value. You want to provide valuable content to your audience that does not waste their time, and this applies to the email subject line. If the email campaign's content has value, your email subject line development will be easier and should express that value. Check out our blog for more tips on better serving your email campaign readers.
8. Use Action and Concise Language
What makes email subject lines feel so tricky is finding that perfect word choice. It is easy to spend excessive time picking just the right words. There is an important language to consider in your word choice.
First, use action words. The email subject line is almost like a small call-to-action and the first way to encourage your receiver to act. After all, the first act you want them to do is open the email. You want to use action-oriented verbs to get that first level of engagement and entice the reader to know more. Action words also help the email subject line sound applicable and timely and can help if trying to convey any urgency.
Second, be concise. This may feel repetitive since this guide has frequently mentioned how critical it is not to be lengthy. But the language you use can help you keep it short. Please stay away from flowery language to keep it brief. There is time to be descriptive and detailed in the body of the email. The email subject line needs to be to the point. This is a time to highlight this email's value and benefits immediately.
9. Use Numbers
Numbers and data in your email subject line are a great way to grab the receiver's attention, and they can help you be concise and avoid being vague. Numbers are very beneficial to your email marketing strategy, so notice what numbers or data you can pull from the email content. Maybe it is a sale, and the receiver can get 25% off with an exclusive deal, or you want to encourage them to connect with over 50 people at an event. Observe how just having the number included is eye-catching, but also how those sentences can be shortened and turned into a compelling subject line for your email marketing campaign.
10. Check Punctuation & Capitalization
Lastly, check your punctuation and capitalization. This goes beyond ensuring your apostrophes and commas are correct, but checking how many exclamation points or question marks you use. It may be tempting to use extra exclamation points because a great sale is happening, but those different exclamation points can be a huge turn-off to the receiver. They are not precisely classy or inviting; rather, they could lead the email to be considered spam.
Additionally, subject lines in all caps are not conveying the excitement you may think it is. It can also come across as spam or just simply too aggressive. Moreover, it can take away from the valuable content inside. Do not sell your content short by cheapening it with an all-cap email subject line.
With these ten steps, you can create the perfect email subject line for your email marketing. Your email campaigns wait for you to input that perfect subject line and hit send.
Ready to create the perfect subject line for your next B2B email campaign?
Let Caffeine Marketing help you take your email marketing to the next level with our expert tips and strategies. Contact us today to learn more about our email marketing services and how we can help you achieve your marketing goals.
